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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: row · cabinet · rock · stick · calf · hand · coach · present

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. present — the time now
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. row — a line
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. row — to paddle
  9. rock — music
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. present — there
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. rock — a stone
  21. present — a gift
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. hand — in cards
  24. cabinet — ministers

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com